Chained
by SarahKnight
Summary: Leia's ROJ rescue attempt fails and Han is forced to work as Jabba the Hutt's slave. Jabba enjoys thinking up ways to make his captive suffer and Solo determinedly plans his escape. Warning: VIOLENCE.
1. Chapter 1

CHAINED by Sarah Knight

Leia's rescue attempt fails and Han is forced to work as Jabba the Hutt's slave. Solo is determined to escape but he has a lot of enemies on Tatooine who want to see him suffer. Warning: VIOLENCE. Comments would be very much appreciated :)

* * *

Breathing in short, shallow breaths, he began to become aware of himself, his surroundings, and the chill of the air that was coming from his lungs. He was so cold that the stone floor felt warm against his cheek, and he groaned as a wave of nausea rocked through his body.

_Can't stop shaking_, was his first conscious thought. A terrible coldness shuddered through every inch of his body, accompanied by a dull, icy ache, and a stiffness in all his joints that made movement too difficult. He lay still, trying to breathe, trying to think. A disembodied voice said something that he couldn't make out and he slowly realised that he wasn't sitting up by himself. He wasn't alone.

"Just relax for a moment. You're free of the carbonite," said an alien voice. "You have hibernation sickness."

Han struggled to open his eyes but they were stiff and cold. With a shock somewhat numbed from his confusion, he realised they were already open. They just weren't working. Scared, he forced the words out:

"I can't see."

"Your eyesight will return in time."

The carbon freeze. Han's stomach lurched again as a memory suddenly assaulted him. He remembered the platform lowering, the pain in Leia's eyes, the fear he had hidden in the pit of his stomach to maintain his dignity in front of his enemies; to make it easier on his friends. He tried to push the images away. How long ago had it been? Were Leia and Chewie safe? Minutes? Hours? Days...

"W...where…" The words jolted as his lungs struggled for air and his mouth shook along with the rest of him. "Where am I?"

"Jabba's palace."

He was too disorientated, too confused to think about what that meant. The voice was unfamiliar, the face his numbed fingers brushed up against an anonymous mask. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Someone who loves you!" A different voice this time. Recognition dawned on Han and his heart fluttered, "Leia."

He reached for her and her lips met his in a longed-for embrace. Her mouth was hot. Leia. A voice disguiser. A rescue.

"I've got to get you out of here," she said urgently. Han felt he had longed to hear her voice for too long.

Then she froze as they heard a cruel laugh.

Jabba's laugh. The end of everything.

* * *

Han awoke, shivering on a floor that felt like rock. He had been dreaming of last night; Leia's heroic rescue attempt. Her voice still echoed around his head. He felt as if she must be here with him and the thought warmed him, although he knew that really she wasn't.

He could also still hear the empty laugh that had followed their kiss. He felt too weak to even cringe at the thought of Jabba listening to their reunion, knowing that he would intervene at any moment and take their freedom away again.

"I... I was o..on my way to pay you Jabba, I just got a little sidetracked," he had stuttered, hardly noticing Leia's arms gently turning him to face the right way. "It's not my fault!" It hadn't made any difference, his desperate attempts to bargain with the Hutt fell on deaf ears as he had felt strong arms grab his weakened ones and pull him away with little effort despite his protests.

Pushed into a room he had stood, afraid for a moment and disorientated, he had reached around him to feel unfriendly walls that obviously belonged to a cell of some sort. His heart was beating fast in his chest as he struggled in vain to make his eyes work again so he might not be so helpless to whatever Jabba was about to throw at him - he'd worked for the Hutt for long enough to know that there were a great many places in his palace that carried traps or ravenous creatures for Jabba to watch his victim's struggles in. But the cell had been just a cell. Jabba obviously had other plans for him.

He was still in the same cell now, he was sure of it. Solo pulled himself into a sitting position with some difficulty. His joints felt too old for his years, stiff and weakened from the unbearable carbon-freeze cold. The chill had lessened, but his bones still ached as though they might be made of a fragile ice.

Where was Chewie? He had felt immediately safer last night when he had heard his Wookie copilot's growl and had quickly fallen asleep wrapped up in strong, warm arms, knowing he could rely on his best friend to protect him if danger were to arrive.

But Han had woken alone on the stone floor, not leaned up against the huge protective chest of the Wookie. He reflexively turned to look for his friend, forgetting that it wouldn't do any good, and a shudder went through him - the only thing before his eyes was blackness.

Panicked suddenly, he clenched his fists in defence. It unnerved him not to know if there was anyone there watching or whether he was truly alone. "Chewie," he called determinedly, his voice hoarse, "You there pal?"

Silence. Han tried to quiet his ragged breathing to listen for his perhaps-sleeping friend, or any other sign that he wasn't alone, but the silence was only broken by the occasional drip of a liquid nearby, and its hollow echo sounding softly around the cell. Chewie wouldn't have left him voluntarily. What had happened?

The sudden loud noise of the metal door grating along the floor grabbed his attention, cutting short the trail of his thought. Company. He hoped it was Chewie rather than one of Jabba's beasts. At that thought he tensed fearfully and began to struggle to his feet, wanting to close the gap of disadvantage if at least by a small amount. He had only been standing for a moment, trying to seem ready for whatever was about to be thrown at him, when a strong hand shoved him hard and sent him stumbling backwards to the ground dazed, not strong enough to stay upright.

"Who's there?" he demanded. The only response was a mocking laugh.

"Still can't see, Solo? That's too bad. Get him up." The last part was aimed at the sentients whose arms immediately hauled him to his feet and held him there. Han's head spun wildly at the too-fast motion and for once he didn't bother with a comment, he didn't think the words would come out quite right the way his concentration was wavering within his spinning head.

The anonymous arms frogmarched him forward, with Han trying to take as many of his own steps as he could to avoid being dragged along the floor on his knees. They were walking faster than he liked in his current state but his complaint of, "Slow down, will ya?" was simply sniggered at, so he kept quiet and concentrated simply on keeping his legs moving. They walked for what was too long for Han in his weakened state; a sudden and unexpected turn made him stumble and he was yanked back up harshly, pulling him back to his feet only to be shoved forward onto his knees a moment later.

Solo remained tense and ready, wishing he at least had his sight back. He couldn't stand the feeling of helplessness that wracked his body. Too weak to fight back, unable to see his captors, he was truly trapped. They could do whatever they wanted with him. Han clenched his fists, stubbornly vowing to die before letting them get too much pleasure out of him.

The familiar sound of Jabba laughing at a prize echoed round the room and Han grimaced, wishing Leia was there to turn him round to the right direction. He didn't want to make a fool of himself again. He started to stand back up but a firm grip on his shoulder held him kneeling. Han frowned, still feeling too much like he was at Jabba's mercy being on his knees and blind to boot.

"Come on Jabba, this is ridiculous," he reasoned, to which Jabba only bellowed another laugh. "I swear, the money was in my ship, I was on my way here when suddenly I ran into Darth Vader. How could that possibly be my fault?" His voice quivered as he tried to reach his usual confident volume. His lungs weren't ready for the exertion.

"It's too late, Solo!" Jabba bellowed in his native Huttese tongue. "You've left it too long. Now you're mine!"

Solo resisted a resigned sigh, he knew now that the Hutt would never give him his freedom, but he hoped there was something else he could do: "How about I give you the money and you let Chewie and Leia go?" he tried, knowing the rebels would cough up the credits for the pair.

"It's too late for that too, Solo! I gave Leia to the Empire."

"The Empire!" Han started but was held firmly by the hand on his shoulder. "Damn you Jabba - if I wasn't so sick I'd cut off that ugly head of yours and feed it to one of your creatures!"

Jabba was obviously amused, "I'm glad I kept you for myself. I enjoyed you as a wall decoration..."

Han's heart sank as he realised that's where he had been whilst frozen. He must have been displayed on Jabba's wall for all the scum of Tatooine to see. Many of Solo's enemies, and perhaps old friends, must have seen him there, his face probably twisted in pain from the freezing, an example to anyone who dared to cross the Hutt. His heart was beating fast, but he didn't let his humiliation show.

Jabba continued, "I was going to have you refrozen but then I thought of something that will provide me with much more amusement."

Soft humanoid hands suddenly grabbed Han's wrists and tried to force them together. Han struggled against them, knowing they must be trying to bind him. He tried to push himself to his feet but whoever was holding his shoulder to keep him on his knees slipped an arm tightly around his neck, so that his struggling only provoked choking.

He wasn't strong enough yet to fight them off. But he tried any way.

"Stay still, Solo or we'll have to stun you... or worse," a voice warned calmly as the group managed to push the struggling ex-smuggler to the ground.

Han recognised defeat and lay still, knowing he would be more help to himself and Chewbacca conscious and able to move than stunned. The cold smoothness of metal brushed his wrists and a click confirmed cuffs were in place. Han could tell they were old-fashioned manacle style cuffs rather than more modern stun cuffs that gave the wearer a shock if they struggled too much.

"A little strapped for cash, Jabba?" Han drawled sarcastically.

"Not at all Solo, especially after the bounty I got for handing over your princess."

Han ignored Jabba's jibe and kept silent, his pride wouldn't allow him to ask what would happen to him next, he didn't want to admit that the Hutt had control over it. Whatever it was, he resolved that he wouldn't go down without a fight. Solo pulled himself up to a standing position finally, shrugging off the hands that now no longer bothered to hold him down. He hid the wobble of his unsteady legs, preparing for his sentence.

"Take him to the slave quarters!" Jabba bellowed, then laughed out loud again at the expression of shock on his captive's face. He had been around humans long enough to recognise their more animated expressions.

Han forced his expression to a scowl, the best he could manage, not wanting to give Jabba the satisfaction of seeing the horror on his face. A slave. He'd die before becoming a slave, he had to have his freedom, and his dignity.

More hands attached to sentients he couldn't see gripped his arms tightly and started to pull him away. To his dismay, Han stumbled, not knowing which way they were going.

Unable to glare at the Hutt, not knowing exactly where he was, Solo just looked straight ahead as he was dragged away. He hoped Leia had been right about his eyesight returning shortly. "You'll be sorry Jabba, I swear it," he yelled back as he was forced out. As his captor once more laughed at the Corellian's attempts at maintaining his dignity, Han only wished he believed it himself.


	2. Chapter 2

It was only about five minutes and a couple of steep flights of stairs before the strong grips on Han's arms were abruptly released and he found himself flailing downwards and straight into what felt like a stack of pots and pans, which clattered noisily to the ground with Han closely following.

Solo quickly pulled himself back to his feet out of the tangle of metal pots, nearly tripping back over a couple of them that got under his feet. He ignored a chortle from presumably one of the sentients who had just dragged him down here. Once again he felt unnerved by not knowing who was around him or where he was, but he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to remind them that as well as being their prisoner he was blind.

"Ah, and who is this?" a deceivingly pleasant sounding voice said, to which second voice replied, "Han Solo, Jabba's newest slave."

Han's heart started to beat a little faster. He couldn't be a slave, he wouldn't be. He had instinctively looked in the direction of the voice, despite that all he could see was darkness, though he noticed with some joy that the blackness seemed to be turning into a fuzzy grey. There was no one with whom to share this revelation, so he said, trying to sound sure of himself, "Yeah, but not for long."

"Solo!" the first voice said, "You sound pretty cocky for a guy who spent the last few months making the master's wall look pretty."

Han grimaced, his head burning hot with anger, which he tried to hide with a sarcastic lopsided grin. "Glad you enjoyed the view!"

He could almost hear the frown in the other man's voice, "I can see you're going to take some breaking, Solo. You've got spirit - I don't like that."

"Yeah well get used to it, 'cause the only master I answer to is myself."

A hard fist connected with Han's head from the darkness, sending him staggering backwards in surprise, not quite able to balance with his cuffed wrists. The sting of the punch throbbed in his cheek and he braced himself for another attack.

"Leave it, I'll handle him. You may go now," the first voice spoke again over the sound of the others footsteps as they walked away at his order. "I'm Gertwep and until you "break" as we so fittingly call it, I am your master. You WILL answer to me, now clear up these pots that you knocked over." The alien voice was strong and the words suggested punishment if the task was not completed.

Solo knew he couldn't do it, he didn't even try. He didn't want to be attacked – for all he knew this Gertwep was as big as Chewie – but his pride kept him frozen where he stood.

"I won't ask you twice, Solo. NOW!"

Still he stood, bravely facing the direction in which he heard hollow footsteps coming from, as Gertwep strode purposefully towards him. Han was ready to use all his power to protect himself, though he knew that without his sight and with his hands cuffed, he would never escape today.

A fist wrenched a handful of hair down hard, doubling Han over, but he pulled out of Gertwep's grasp quickly, striking out at the other sentient with both his arms as they were cuffed but not connecting, just swinging wildly into the air. "Bad move, Solo."

Han squinted, trying to fight against the mist of grey before his eyes, but to no avail. A strong, hard knee connected with his hip and he grunted, this time his swing met its target, sending the slave-master reeling. But he was merely fazed.

Several sharp slaps stung against Han's cheeks, confusing him rather than causing him pain, and he staggered backwards, finding himself backed up against a wall with nowhere to turn. Gertwep turned him around to face the wall before he could think, and with as much force as was necessary, kicked Han squarely in the back of his knees, forcing him down into a kneel.

Han inwardly cursed, thinking the carbonite must have really slowed his reflexes. From the height Gertwep's punches came from he didn't seem like a particularly big guy, Han had certainly fared better with sentients much bigger - although admittedly with less disadvantage. Gertwep kicked Han again, this time knocking him to the floor, the cuffs digging painfully into his chest, making breathing a little more difficult than he'd have liked. The slavemaster was on his back in seconds, digging his knee in to keep his prisoner pinned.

"Well, Solo. Looks like your little outburst is over. Are you ready to tidy up the mess you left yet?"

Han's answer was a defiant silence, the only sound was Gertwep's breathing, slightly heavy from their struggle. Then he snarled disapprovingly and pulled Han back up to a kneel by his hair. Han's eyes watered a little as his hairs pulled painfully at his scalp, but he kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to make this easy for them.

Gertwep barked an order and someone or something immediately pulled at Solo's arms, holding him tightly against its body. "Hey, I'm already cuffed, y'know," Han reminded them. He hadn't known there was anyone else in the room.

"Brace yourself, Solo," Gertwep's alien voice told him, though he didn't give him enough time to before he kicked him squarely in the jaw. Han stifled a cry of pain, but his head lolled, holding it upright was suddenly too painful.

Another hit, this time a punch, connected with a sudden, sharp pain to his nose. "You're a real tough guy, aren't you?" Han taunted. He could feel a warm gush of blood running from his nose, he could taste its tangy flavour on his lips, numbed from the kick.

His cuffs were swiftly undone, leaving his hands free. "There's a pot in front of you, pick it up!" Gertwep ordered. Han shook his head, sending a throbbing ache through his painful jaw, but even as he did he went over the dilemma in his head. He couldn't let himself do it, could he? The pain from his nose was throbbing all around his skull, he felt close to passing out. One more hit and he would be unconscious.

Solo pursed his lips as he went over his options - he couldn't escape from here if they beat him to within an inch of his life, and he definitely wanted to escape, that was all there was to it. He could live to escape with Chewie and find Leia, or he could stay here and be beaten till he died.

With difficulty he swallowed his pride and reached out with his left hand, at once feeling the smooth, cold metal pot beneath his fingers. He could use the pot as a weapon if he knew where Gertwep was standing, but he didn't. If he could win a fight against both the heavy standing behind him and the slave-master, plus anyone who came to their aid he could try to escape. But he'd just proved that he couldn't. If he could see, he could find his way out without being noticed, but he couldn't. Sighing, angry but determined, Han tightened his grip and picked up the pot, feeling with a sinking heart that it truly symbolised the end of his independence. _But only for the moment_, he promised himself.

"Good, now pick up the others and put them in a pile, please. Then we can start over."

Han couldn't bring himself to crawl along the floor searching for the pans with his hands, so he stood up, despite the soaring pain that rose in his face from the pressure, and he kicked with his feet, finding them then picking them up until he could find no more. After minutes that in his shame felt like hours, he stopped and stood still. "There," he said, "but don't get used to it."

"Unfortunately for you, Solo, I will."

* * *

Solo awoke on an uncomfortable pile of sand, his joints were stiff, feeling the strain of his scuffle yesterday, and he stretched them, noticing with some small satisfaction that at least some of his strength was returning. A bell rang loudly and constantly and he could hear the sound of others awaking and pulling themselves to their feet. Slaves. He frowned, then opened his eyes to see a large, grey-skinned humanoid standing over him.

He could see!

Startled, Han started to a sitting position, ignoring the aches and pains that tweaked and bothered several corners of his body. He didn't care about the rest of his body - he could actually see! The image was a little fuzzy, and his eyes felt a little dry, but the important thing was that he could see again, presumably meaning he would soon be at his full strength again and have much more of an advantage. If he was strong, he could escape, he could try to help Chewie and Leia. He quickly returned to the present.

Even as he realised that the sentient leaning over him must want something from him, he was grabbed by the lapels of his shirt and pulled up to his feet with startling swiftness. Han pushed the hands away reflexively and stood back, "All right, I'm up!"

"Don't get cocky, slave, or I'll add to them bruises." Luckily for Han she had moved along the line before he could retaliate with another comment, as she had been enormous. Solo looked around him, feeling a little buzz of excitement at being able to actually look at his surroundings. There were rows of sand piles, just big enough for someone Han's size to sleep on, but all the slaves had already gone. A rush of excitement that read the situation as a possibility of escape was quickly dispelled as the huge grey being returned: "Solo, right?"

Han reluctantly nodded.

"Master Jabba the Hutt wishes to see you, come this way."

Han followed her with a renewed confident bounce to his step, "Great. I've got a bone to pick with him."


	3. Chapter 3

"Solo, I hope your first night as my slave was particularly unpleasant," Jabba said to Han who stood, cuffed again before him, and flanked by two muscly humanoid guards who stood as tall as Chewbacca. Han had grimaced at the sight of the Hutt, he looked even more foul than he had done the last time he'd seen him, although he wouldn't have believed it possible.

"It has its perks."

Jabba laughed, "You always were a funny one, Solo. Now I have a job for you."

"Yeah, well you can get lost, Jabba. I don't work for you any more." Han's confident demeanour didn't betray the uncertainty he felt inside. But he had been in the hands of Vader not so long ago, this could surely not be any worse.

"Un-cuff him," Jabba ordered, and one of the guards bent over to do so. Han stiffened at the unexpected opportunity. As the guard straightened again, Han, almost without thinking, elbowed him sharply in the face, then grabbed the other guard's blaster and fired it accurately at him and then the Hutt who squealed in pain. Han didn't waste any time, he knew more of Jabba's followers would be rushing towards the room at this minute, he raced out of the door and straight into the path of an ugly creature who he recognised from his days working for Jabba.

"Solo!" he cried out, reaching for his own blaster, but a shot from Han's knocked it away. He continued running, hearing shouts from behind him and an angry roar from Jabba himself. Han cursed, knowing it would be an extremely lucky blaster shot that actually found its way to a vital organ in a Hutt through all the sagging flesh.

He turned into a corridor and raced down it quietly, hoping that it didn't lead to a dead end. He cursed as he reached the end, there were only two doors. He darted quickly through one of them, quietly but swiftly closing the door and trying to find something to block it with before he tried to find a way out of it - he couldn't go back down the corridor and straight into the grasp of Jabba's goons. He cursed again – the room was practically empty. He scanned it for any chance of an escape route, and found one: an air vent.

Tucking his blaster into his pants, he scrambled at the wooden grate, trying to find a weakness. Running footsteps and angry voices began to sound closer and Solo frantically pulled at the grate, managing to pull it away and push himself up and inside it. The smell was so rank he had to fight against an instinctive choke, the walls pressed tightly against his sides hardly wide enough to allow him any movement at all, let alone enough for him to crawl down it fast enough to outrun blaster shots. He pulled the grid back into place and crouched still, trying not to breathe too loudly.

The door of the room opened and Solo held his breath, his heart beating so loudly in his head he would have feared they could hear it from where they stood if he had not been so used to such situations. He could hear them talking easily as they were so close, although the sound was muffled a little by the vent grate. That at least comforted him that they could probably not hear the almost silent sound of his soft breathing.

"Where did he go?" one voice said. Han imagined it was the alien whose blaster he had shot.

"I saw him come down this way, this is the only room, the other's locked."

There were some scuffling noises as the group quickly searched the empty room, and then Han heard them start to leave. He wanted to heave a sigh of relief, that would also satisfy his need for more oxygen than his small breaths could give him, but he didn't dare make a sound when he was so close to escape.

"Wait a sec, what about the air vent?"

_No, no no!_ Han's stomach lurched and his heart started to beat even faster. He forced himself to stay still in case they dismissed the idea and left.

"It's too small."

_Yes, yes,_ Han thought.

"He's a human, human's are small!"

_Keth!_ He could hear them coming closer, he could see through the vent holes a huge furry creature that looked almost Wookie, but with pointed ears and a greenish tint to his white fur. It was coming towards the vent. Han knew now he had no chance of going undiscovered, so he took his last chance and began to force himself along the vent, crawling as fast as he could in such a confined space. He felt along the wall, desperately trying to find another grid so he could slip into another room and start the chase again.

A feeling of panic welled up in his chest as the darkness reminded him of the blindness he had recently endured. "Get a grip, Solo, its just a vent," he muttered to himself. At least he was back at almost full strength, he could never have managed this yesterday.

Behind him, he could hear shouts, louder than the sound of the metallic bumps he was making with his unsteady crawl to what he hoped would be freedom. He didn't want to find out how mad Jabba was with him now he had shot him. His thought was punctuated by the sound of blaster fire echoing down the vent, a flash of white shot past his head and Han turned and fired back, then upped his speed, he was as good as dead now anyway, he might as well go down fighting.

Another shot flew wildly over Han's ducked head, hitting the vent wall with a loud ping and a spark that he only just remembered to shield his eyes from. Then a sudden pain coursed through his legs and Han fell on his front, instinct forcing him to take the pressure off them. "I think we got him!" a voice cried from behind him. "Go get someone small to crawl down the vent and fetch him."

Han winced as he pulled himself back up onto his knees, his legs burned hotly in the way that only a mild stun shot did, his recognition of the sensation confirmed as his legs started to go numb. He pulled himself along by his arms, the dead weight of his legs slowing him down tremendously. His shoulders screamed out against the effort but Han ignored it, knowing there was still a chance he could get away and hide until the stun wore off.

But it was too late, the metallic echoes that he had caused himself when he had crawled down the vent started up again as someone crawled along the same way to drag him out. Han turned himself over to face whoever was coming, his blaster in his hand - he shot, but the blaster simply fizzled out. Han groaned: out of power. In the darkness he could only see a dark blur, but he was told a blaster was trained on him and he believed it. His hands were cuffed again, and the sentient proceeded to drag him back out through the vent by his senseless legs. Han groaned as his head bumped helplessly against the vent floor. Now he was really in trouble.

* * *

Once again, Han was practically thrown down in front of Jabba, and with his legs dead from the stun shot he simply sat there, this time unable to pull himself to his feet and retain some sense of control. The others had carried him here, but they had not yet struck him even once, which worried Han about what was yet to come.

A huge bacta bandage now covered what must have been the blaster burn which Han had inflicted on Jabba and Solo winced, knowing the Hutt's temper, but at the same time glad he had at least been able to extract a little bit of revenge. "You are foolish, Solo. But I will get my money's worth of amusement out of you."

Han kept quiet, not wanting to provoke the Hutt into anything too drastic. _A bit late for that, Solo,_ he chided himself.

"Bring in Gorashi" Jabba ordered, and Han's face fell to confusion, not recognising the name or a hint of Jabba's plans. However, when a large, insane-looking, chained creature entered the room a moment later, Han guessed. It was a pink-skinned lizard-like humanoid, with a long tail complete with a flat, pallet-like tip, covered with patches of armour that covered its vital parts.

Jabba pulled a rope, and a large cage fell down, enclosing only Han and Gorashi, ensuring that they could not escape a battle, nor could anyone else interfere. No time was wasted in explaining what was about to happen, Gorashi's restraining chains were released now he was no danger to anyone but Han. Jabba laughed in his maniac delight at other beings' discomfort, and Han turned to him and complained, indicating simultaneously his cuffed wrists and numbed legs, "What about a fair fight?"

Jabba banged his tail against the ground in glee, "You should have obeyed me Solo, but now its too late!" The others watching in anticipation laughed loudly, closing in to sit around the cage and enjoy the fight. Han growled to himself. If you could even call such an uneven match a fight. Gorashi hissed, the freakishly pink scales on his face parted to reveal sharp teeth and a pointed, serpentine tongue.

Han rubbed his legs harshly as Gorashi paced around him, desperately trying to regain the feeling in them so he could at least stand to dodge an attack. The disgusting creature, which could've been sentient or animal despite its humanoid appearance, swung its tale around, the flat pallet at the end sending a pain through Han's head and him flat on his back. Before he could turn over to roll back into a sitting position, Gorashi put strength behind its tail again and sent Solo skidding across the ground into the bars of the cage, which vibrated with electricity as Han hit them. He shook his head, trying to sharpen his suddenly blurred vision.

"Damn you, Jabba!" Han shouted, obviously heightening the Hutt's amusement as he laughed out loud and shouted something back at Solo that he couldn't quite make out. Gorashi pounded slowly back over to where he had slung Han, his footsteps thudding loudly. Without thinking, Han tried to scramble away, but it was impossible to get a grip with his cuffed hands on the sand-strewn ground.

Han quickly regained his composure, knowing that "running" would be futile, he had to concentrate on defence. Gorashi swung his great tail again and Han ducked under it, causing its tail to smash against the electrocuting bars. It let out a scream and Han tugged on its chest armour, using all his strength to pull it free from his adversary. It pulled away suddenly and Han fell backwards onto his back, but he was sitting again before Gorashi had turned its attention back to him. Han had no time for relief that he at least now had a weapon of sorts.

Now it was mad. Han cursed himself for letting his legs be stunned and wished they would hurry up and regain their feeling so he could even the odds a little. Gorashi jumped at Han, swinging clawed hands at his chest. Solo screamed out loud as the long talons ripped through his flesh, tearing his shirt to shreds and leaving him gasping for breath. Han swung the stolen chest armour at the beast's head with all his strength, sending the creature flailing backwards for a moment, before he started again towards him.

Thinking fast, Han waited till it jumped to attack, then deflected it towards the bars, using them as a weapon. He tried to push the creature against the bars for longer, hoping to damage it with the electric shock that came from them, but their strength was far from evenly matched, and Han was easily pushed away just with the creature's tail.

Han pulled himself as far away from Gorashi as he could, using his hands to pull himself along as he had done in the vent. With more than a little relief he noticed a painful paraesthesia in his legs. In about five minutes they should have their feeling back, although they would still be difficult to use. Han cursed out loud. Five minutes would probably be too long.

Gorashi was getting back up again, wild red eyes looking around for its prey. Han swallowed hard, tugging at his cuffs, trying to squeeze his hands out of the ancient metal binders but to no avail. They were too strong.

Gorashi's clawed hands swung again at his chest and Solo struggled to shield the attack with the chest armour he held in his bound hands. For a moment his defence held, but the creature's strong arms soon brushed the armour aside, leaving Han again defenceless except for his wits.

Gorashi grabbed Han by the torn remains of his shirt and pulled him up to standing height. Han struggled to move his legs and kick out at the pink scaly chest but, though his legs still tingled strongly, all he could manage was a feeble wobble. With great strength, Gorashi lifted the ex-smuggler over his head and for a moment, Han felt dizzy as he looked down at the floor he was undoubtably about to be flung against.

Unable to brace himself with his arms, Han's torn chest took most of the brunt of the fall, knocking the air from his lungs and leaving him prone on the ground. He struggled to breathe and push himself up onto his arms, but the painful stretching of the gashes on his chest forced him to sink back down.

Gorashi turned him over onto his back easily and hissed into his face, its hot breath stung Han's eyes and he turned his head away. _Leia, where are you?_ he thought in a brief moment of delirium.

Once again, Han found himself being lifted up against his will, but this time made no attempt to prevent it, there was no use. He though perhaps if he feigned unconsciousness the battle would be ended at once - unless Jabba was going to let it continue till death. This time Han was flung against the bars, and he cried out as they electrocuted him before he fell back, hard, onto the ground and lay there, his legs twitching as they fought against the stun.

Han felt his consciousness blurring with the pain trying to force him into darkness. He didn't want to give up yet. As Gorashi swung its tail at his face he reached out weakly, his fingers brushing against the tail as he tried to grab it and failed. His head was banged hard against the floor by the blow. "Do you want out, Solo?" a voice spoke from near his head, outside of the cage.

Solo nodded his head as best as he could. Gorashi swung at him again, knocking his head back against the hard stone floor. "Stop!" ordered Jabba, and the creature shrank away. The cage rose up above Han's head and its height made him feel dizzy. "I don't want my prize killed yet. Take him back to the slaves quarters, and chain him to the wall."

Han concentrated on breathing, his chest felt painful and stiff with every breath. His head felt heavy and he didn't even attempt to lift it up, knowing that he would probably pass out if he did. His whole body felt hot and feverish, sweat making the last shards of his shirt cling to his body and stinging the wounds that Gorashi had inflicted on him. Han fought down a sudden wave of pain induced nausea, not wanting to throw up in front of all these who had already seen him beaten helplessly to a pulp.

He was vaguely aware of a voice ordering him to move, but it didn't seem real, it was too far away and too much of an unrealistic request for it to register with him. He thought he felt a boot nudging his side, and Jabba's roaring voice giving more orders. He felt the strange sensation of being lifted up, but it was of little consequence to him as he sank back into the painless comfort of blackness.


	4. Chapter 4

"Wake up, Solo!" a low voice ordered him, although not unkindly. Han tried to ignore it, something telling him that he'd be better off if he stayed asleep, but the voice persisted and Han reluctantly pulled himself out of unconscious sleep and into the waking world, only to be greeted by a soreness that seemed to spread over his whole body and an unfamiliar face before his eyes.

Han tried to speak, but found his mouth too dry to make the words. Becoming more aware of his surroundings he realised he was lying in the slaves' quarters again, this time with his hands chained roughly above his head and attached to a metal hook in the wall. He groaned out loud. "Whaddaya want?" Despite the results, he was feeling a lot more confident after his near escape from the palace.

"I have orders from Jabba to wake you and get you dressed."

"For Keth's sake," Han cursed, "I _am _dressed."

"Jabba's having a party and he wants to show all of Tatooine his new prize."

That at least got Han's attention, his eyes snapped back open and he struggled to sit up, managing an uncomfortable half sitting, half lying down, with the chains not letting him up any further. He winced as he strained the long claw cuts in his chest and his head throbbed with a mixture of tiredness and bruises from the beating that pink lizard had given him.

"Well, he's going to be disappointed then."

The small alien visibly quivered. "Solo, please do as he says or it will get worse, I'm telling you."

"Hurry up!"

Han started at the sound of another voice coming from out of his line of vision. Well, it did stand to reason that such a small, feeble-looking creature, probably a slave himself, could not be trusted to bring the notorious Han Solo to Jabba without incident. Must have more guards with him.

"Yeah, well I don't plan on being here long enough to find out."

"At least let me dress you?" he asked, his eyes widening in fear again for the foolish human's safety and also for his own.

"Come on kid, I can dress myself."

The young slave shook his head. "I am sorry - you have to remain chained." Han sighed and gestured with his head for him to do what he had to - he didn't mind getting himself into trouble, far from it, but he didn't want anyone else to unduly face Jabba's cruel wrath. Solo winced as the boy gently pulled the shreds of shirt from him, they were stuck to his cuts with blood that had already dried in the past couple of hours. The wounds were cleaned up quickly and Han was glad, he didn't need an infection on top of everyone else.

His left arms were un-cuffed and a sleeveless white tunic slipped on before he was chained again, then his other arm freed to put the rest of the jacket on. Han didn't recognise the tunic particularly, but he could easily deduce that it was one of the outfits Jabba reserved for his humanoid slaves. There were a few leather loops attached to it and a metal one at the front, obviously their purpose was for easy attachment of ropes or chains. Han's expression hardened.

The boy then pulled off Han's trousers and replaced them with a smarter pair, and a stun cuff around each ankle. "These will give you a shock if you move too fast."

"Yeah, I know." Han frowned, thinking only of how he could get around all this precaution of Jabba's and make another escape attempt, this time a more covert one. Would they remove the stun cuffs at night? Would they chain him again to the wall? Questions swam around Han's head and he began to realise that he was in even more trouble than he had previously anticipated.

Lastly, the slave pulled out a leather collar with a small metal hook on either side and Han suppressed a cry. He really was going to be put on display if he didn't do something and do it fast. He grimaced as he recalled the times he had come to see Jabba regarding his smuggling for him and had seen his slaves then, mostly slim humanoid girls chained at their necks who Jabba would pull towards himself at intervals, cackling with glee at their disgust. He never remembered seeing any men.

The collar was attached to his neck with a depressing click locking it in place. Han rubbed at it irritably. At a call from the boy, the guards came over and unattached the chains from the wall so that they were guarding one of Han's arms each. Solo pulled himself to his feet quickly before he could be dragged and his aches and pains further aggravated. "Where are we going?"

"It's party time, Solo."

"Oh." Han replied, sounding particularly unimpressed and unbothered to hide his apprehension. "Great." There was nothing he could do as the two strong Wookie-like sentients guided him at a walking pace so as not to aggravate the stun cuffs around his ankles, his arms restricted by the chains that they firmly held on to.

* * *

As they came closer to Jabba's party, the noise of a Tatooine's current popular bar music filtered loudly through the doors. Memories flooded back to Han of his not too distant smuggling days, the seedy bars and seedy company of many alien and human races. He had never been fond of Jabba's constant parties, the music was bad and his blatant disregard for the slaves he kept and even the hired work was disgusting. Well, that was him now. Han shuddered as a sudden wave of panic sent chills down his spine. He could feel sweat trailing down his back, cold. He kept control of his body, knowing he had to bide his time, that he couldn't escape now and a beating would only hinder him later, but it was difficult even for him to fight the fear-filled urge to turn and run.

The doors opened, the music got louder. Han un-tensed slightly with relief as no one turned to look as he entered, he had imagined a sea of enemy faces laughing at the now helpless Han Solo, chained and collared as Jabba the Hutt's slave. It was then he heard a familiar voice roar out his name. Chewie. Han turned in simultaneous excitement and fear to find his friend, hoping he hadn't been treated too badly.

The Wookie was flanked by several of Jabba's largest guards, and chained to the wall securely enough to withhold even his awesome strength. Han was angry immediately that Jabba had chained his copilot, but couldn't help feeling hope that now they were together they would get out of this alive. He hadn't realised how alone he had felt up until that moment.

"Hey pal, come to join the party?" Han joked as he was led to stand before Jabba. Chewie, who stood next to the Hutt along with his guards, chided Solo for his lightheartedness, feeling the matter was more serious. However, he could see in his friend's eyes that Han knew this as well and was just too proud to show it in front of their captor. He looked on worriedly at the human, he could tell by the bruises on his face that he had not been treated too well and he growled softly.

"Solo!" Jabba greeted, "I hope you will not pass out again and ruin the fun."

"I wouldn't miss it," Han deadpanned.

Without warning, Jabba poked Chewbacca with a blue rod which buzzed on contact, causing the Wookie to flinch in pain and angrily roar his protests.

"I see you haven't become any less cowardly these past couple of years, Jabba," Han said in disgust.

Jabba laughed, not having the slightest bit of regard for the bravery that so many other species did. "You'll be servicing my guests tonight, Solo. I killed my serving girl last night."

"In your dreams, Jabba," Han protested with a sinking feeling. Half the scum in Tatooine knew him, and half of them were probably here, ready to enjoy seeing him at the Hutt's mercy and tell the tale tomorrow night in a bar to another group of scumbags who'd get some amusement out of it in turn, they'd probably be fighting to come to one of Jabba's parties. He wasn't about to become the local tourist attraction.

Jabba laughed out loud and the guards standing around Chewbacca began to punch and kick him, one hitting him over the head several times with the butt of a blaster. Chewie roared, straining against his chains and managed to push one of the attackers a short way away in his rage but with little consequence. Han couldn't help but pull against his own chains, his natural instinct insisting that he go to his best friend's aid, but his guards yanked him firmly back into place. "If I..." Han stopped midway through his threat, knowing it would have no heed and watched helplessly as his friend was beaten.

"Every time you disobey me they'll continue until he dies" Jabba told Han as the guards stopped, and Chewie sagged moaning against his chains, thick red blood matting the fur on his forehead.

"Then you won't have anything to threaten me with Jabba," Han said, desperately hoping to keep his Wookie friend alive.

"There are other ways to amuse myself with you Solo, the Wookie is expendable."

Han hung his head for a moment, thinking fast. There was no way he could endure Chewbacca being beaten to death no matter what the cost to his pride, he would never let it happen to Han, Han would do the same for him. Han didn't like to admit it even to himself but Jabba had him well and truly trapped.

Jabba recognised Solo's defeat and chuckled hideously, "You are foolish in your loyalty Chewbacca and Han Solo, but it at least has its uses."

Without the need for prompting, the guards picked up a long leather rope from the ground and tied it securely to the collar around Han's neck. Han noticed miserably that the other end of the rope was in Jabba's small-but-strong Hutt arms, just as his slave girls' had been when Han had attended these parties. He felt a sudden stab of guilt but brushed it away. If he had tried to help them it would have only got him in this situation sooner. For the same reason no one was likely to help him and Chewie.

The chains holding his cuffs together were removed, allowing him some movement, though the heavy weight of the metal cuffs weighed down his arms and the lightweight stun cuffs round his ankles meant he could do little more than shuffle around the room or be dropped to the floor in pain. But he could feel the collar tight around his neck and the feeling of helplessness it caused in him made him feel more trapped than any physical restraints.

He was passed a tray of drinks and as he was told to offer it around politely he felt a shudder go through him, he felt awkward and miserable and if he admitted it, even scared but determined that he and Chewie would live to have these few days in the long distant past. The thought gave him strength and he walked not too quickly over to a group of sentients that he didn't recognise.

They looked up at him as he approached and he almost stopped in his tracks and went back, but instead glanced round to his semi-conscious friend to spur himself on, then continued as confidently as he could. "Do you want a drink?" he asked them, the words sounding foreign on his lips. He felt the whole room was watching him, that everyone knew it was him and he had been made a slave. Two of them grabbed glasses and turned back to their conversation without a second glance. Han stepped back away from them quickly, sighing with relief.

He glanced back at Chewie who was coming back into full consciousness and immediately wished he would stay blacked out so that he wouldn't have to see Han like this, and so that he wouldn't try to attack his guards and get himself beaten up again. Another sentient who eyed him strangely but who Han didn't recognise came over and took a drink off his tray. Han stared back at him threateningly until he looked away and left.

Han tugged nervously at the collar, wishing he could pull it off, as he eyed the crowd for another non-threatening group of sentients. He turned quickly at a whisper in his ear, "Go serve them." The guard's hand pointed and Han's eyes followed to see a human he recognised, Der'Khan. Solo tensed immediately at the sight of the man. There had been no love lost between them when they had been smuggling rivals for Jabba's most handsomely paid cargos. Han hadn't liked the guy at all and the feeling had certainly been mutual.

"No," he whispered sharply before he could stop himself. The guard signalled to Jabba and Han turned quickly to see him gleefully prod the Wookie with the electrocuting stick. Chewie roared in anger and struggled violently for a moment. Han growled softly, noticing several of the crowd looking up to see what was going on. "Okay, I'll do it." Han cursed under his breath and walked over to Der'Khan, slowly. His feet, unwilling, felt heavy.

"Would you like a drink," Han asked, then added, thick with sarcasm, "_Sir_." Der'Khan turned round, then his face melted into an expression of shock as he saw his old rival, his face a mask of stone. He didn't take one, but put his hands on his hips and looked the Corellian up and down, unable - or unwilling, to hide his amusement as he noticed the collar round his neck and the tray in his hands.

"Well, well Solo," he drawled with a thick off-planet accent, "Moving up in the world are we?"

"I can see your just as much the low down son of a Jawa you always were," Han growled. Der'Khan's face dropped with irritation.

"I'll have a beer, please SLAVE," he ordered.

"You'll have a cocktail. That's all we have," Han said through gritted teeth.

"Get him a beer, Solo," the guard who had ordered him over here told him, "Or your Wookie friend gets another beating." Han's expression hardened further and he shot the smuggler a dirty look as he walked over to the bar to get him a beer. He quickly pushed aside a spiteful plan to strongly spike his drink so he too would make a fool of himself, only because he worried about Chewbacca's life as a consequence if anyone realised.

He brought it back over, his heart heavy with his momentary helplessness as both Der'Khan and the guard watched him carefully. The few-second journey took way too long. He never thought he would find himself here, at the beck and call of scum like Der'Khan and Jabba the Hutt and he longed to be flying the Millennium Falcon off of this planet, arguing with his copilot and his princess.

Frowning, he pushed the glass of beer into Der'Khan's hand. The other man reached up and grabbed the collar at Han's throat with a finger to pull him closer. "Watch it Solo," he warned, "Or I may use my savings to buy you from Jabba."

Han yanked himself free of the man's grip, wishing yet again that he could remove the collar that so readily advertised and symbolised his lack of freedom and his enslavement. "You watch it Der'Khan or when we escape we'll hunt you down and kill you."


	5. Chapter 5

The night wore on for an hour that seemed to last several and Solo served more familiar and unfamiliar faces, hiding his embarrassment with a hard, unfeeling expression and eyes burning with hatred. He glanced back at Chewbacca quite often to check his friend was still unharmed. Huge guards surrounded him and Jabba, making the chance of an armed escape impossible, let alone an unarmed one. The Wookie's dark eyes followed Han tirelessly, watching, his expression so sad and angry that Solo felt the more humiliated at Chewbacca's grief, yet secure that in his anger they would get their revenge.

As Han walked over to yet another group of sentients, Jabba suddenly yanked the leather rope around Solo's neck and the Corellian reached out to grab the collar, dropping his tray with a loud clatter, to stop it from tightening around his throat and cutting off his air. Several people nearby turned to see what had caused the noise, some of them laughed, others whispered. Han noticed with some contempt that one of the people who had turned was Der'Khan.

Jabba yanked hard again and to Han's dismay, he fell to the ground, choking as the collar pulled harshly at his throat, even with his hand to pull it away. Several more people turned, but only those new to Jabba's palace and those who recognised Solo didn't turn back. This sort of thing was a common occurence at Jabba's. Han knew they were probably eagerly awaiting the renowned Han Solo's gruesome death by Rancor...or worse.

Han scrambled to his feet, gasping at the pain the fall had caused to his injured chest, as Jabba continued to drag him back towards him, but walking at the fast pace at which the Hutt pulled the rope the stun cuffs around his ankles were activated with a buzz of electricity. Han let out a cry and fell back onto his back with a slightly painful bump. He was dragged along the ground for a few foot further, rolling on the dusty floor in an undignified manner that also left his already battered body feeling sore.

Chewbacca let out a cry of protest which was answered with another jolt of electricity from Jabba's blue stick. He moaned for his friend. Han stood up quickly, trying at least to maintain a small shred of dignity, and dusted his sleeves off with his hands. He matched the last few tugs of the rope that brought him an awful lot closer to the Hutt than he would have liked. The smell like rotting food that came from the huge green pores of the Hutt's thick, slimy skin made Han gag.

"I'm tired of this Solo" From so close up the voice was almost too loud for Han to understand.

"Yeah, well me too. How about I leave and get out of your way?"

Jabba shouted his disagreement so loudly that Han's ears rang and he staggered slightly.

"Okay, maybe not."

Jabba sat silently for a moment, his giant, grotesque tongue licking his lips as he schemed. Han recoiled with a grimace as he caught a nosefull of the Hutt's foul breath, in all Han's years as a spacer he had never met anyone or anything quite as disgusting and loathsome as Jabba. Han and Chewbacca shared a look with eyes full of anger, silently agreeing that revenge would be sought once they had escaped. Han turned quickly as he noticed someone walking towards them and immediately hatred swelled up inside him. It was Der'Khan. Solo hid his anger behind a confident and cocky expression, which in his current predicament, was quite amusing to his old adversary, who did not bother to a smile as he stood before Jabba.

"Mighty Jabba," he said respectfully, looking to the Hutt and pointedly ignoring Solo.

"You always were a suck up Der'Khan - too bad you weren't as good a pilot as you were an ass-kisser," Solo said disgustedly.

"Be quiet, slave," Der'Khan snapped, obviously irritated by Han's ability to get the better of him even whilst held by a chain round is neck. "Jabba, I have an idea of how you might amuse yourself with your new slave."

"Go on, Der'Khan," Jabba bellowed, his tone almost threatening, "I hope this is good."

"Obviously a lot of us would love to get our hands on Solo ourselves, so I see a way you could make a tidy sum and get a lot of fun out of it at the same time."

"I'm listening," Jabba roared, "He tires me already."

"Sorry to be a disappointment," Han leered, only to be whacked over the head by one of Jabba's guards. Han staggered from the blow, his headache pushed up a notch, but he didn't fight back. He had no chance in a room full of people who would fight on Jabba's side, whether they liked him or not.

"The maze," Der'Khan continued. Han's expression betrayed his lack of knowledge on whatever this maze thing was, and he looked to Chewie who shrugged his confusion back. "Anyone who wants a chance to own the famous Han Solo as their slave, or to kill him, can join the hunt in the maze."

"Let me guess, Der'Khan. In return for providing the idea you want to take part," Han growled from Jabba's side. Jabba tugged the rope slightly to remind him who was in charge.

"I would relish the opportunity, great Jabba," Der'Khan said sweetly. The Hutt waited a good few seconds before he replied with a hollow bellowing laugh, "It is rare I enjoy an idea given by another but I like this one Der'Khan. I shall begin the arrangements tomorrow. Perhaps you will amuse me some more after all, Solo." He laughed again and Han felt his heart begin to race with apprehension.

"What is this...maze anyway?" he asked.

"A vast part of the desert filled with traps hidden under the sand," Der'Khan told him with an almost delighted twinkle in his eye, "Mighty Jabba watches from his barge. It's greatly entertaining."

"What kind of traps?" Han asked, nausea was rising in his stomach, although he couldn't tell if it was caused by the thought of what Der'Khan was saying, or his close proximity to the Hutt.

"You'll see soon enough. Take him back to his slaves' quarters!" Jabba ordered. "Get a good night's sleep Solo, you'll be more entertaining if you're wide awake."

"What, the maze is tomorrow?" Han gulped, "But..."

"Tomorrow you'll spend the day advertising the event." Jabba laughed an evil laugh that told Han he wouldn't be handing out flyers, but before he could ask any questions his lead had been removed and he and Chewie were being dragged out of the room. None of the guests at the party seemed to have paid attention to them after he had been pulled over and the entertainment was over, so no-one even turned to see him exit apart from Der'Khan. Han turned his head away from him, the last expression he saw on the man's face was pure satisfaction.

* * *

Chewbacca struggled frantically as he was pushed into a small cell with barred doors and his partner was dragged further along the corridor and to who knows where. The Wookie growled in frustration, kicking violently at the metal bars and the walls for a couple of minutes to somewhat relieve his rage. He was sworn to protect the Corellian and at the moment he felt that he was severeley failing his sworn oath. Although he knew Han would not blame him, and did not even expect to repay the life dept, he did not feel any better.

Chewbacca struggled to calm down and suppress the rage inside him, knowing that it would not get him out of here, but that wisdom would. Weighing up the options, he realised that the only way out of the cell was with a key to the barred door, or with an awesome strength that surpassed his own to knock the door down with or break the bars. He had to somehow get hold of the key which the guard held. Surely it couldn't be too hard?

* * *

Han feigned exhaustion in the hope that he wouldn't be again chained to the wall behind his pile of sand that was a makeshift bed, but no such luck. Heavy chains were attached to the cuffs at his wrists which were then chained to the hooks in the wall. "Undo these chains will ya?" Han asked sleepily, "Jabba said I ought to get some sleep and I can't sleep like this."

"Put a boot in it, Solo. I'm not an idiot." the guard rumbled and he turned to leave.

Han refrained from commenting that he could have fooled him, he wasn't going to be able to escape if he couldn't move from being beaten. The chains were his first concern. Han thought long and hard, weighing up the options - he couldn't break the metal, the weakest thing was the wall. That was it! If he could pull hard enough perhaps he could separate the metal hooks from the wall! Difficult but not impossible and he had regained all of his strength. Determined, Han started to tug.


	6. Chapter 6

It hadn't taken Chewbacca long to think up a plan to get the guard closer to the cell. Once he was near enough for the captured Wookie to grab him it would be easy, the guard wasn't one of the enormous creatures who had caused the strong and painful thumping in his head and the aches around his huge body, this was a smaller, although stronger than a human, lizard-like sentient whose only advantage was the bars between them and her blaster.

"Yes, it's great isn't it?" Chewbacca rumbled in his native tongue.

The guard didn't turn round and Chewbacca felt foolish, but he was confident in his plan and he proceeded. After a couple of seconds pause he continued. "I think you're right, but I prefer Coruscant."

He glanced at the guard out of the corner of his eye, and to his delight noticed that she had turned around to look at the Wookie and see what he was up to.

Chewbacca rumbled a few more words to wall of the part of the cell that the guard couldn't see from where she stood.

"Talking to yourself, Wookie?" the alien said to him sarcastically.

Chewbacca shook his head, pointing into the cell out of the guard's line of vision and saying, "No I'm talking to him."

It was a ridiculous plan, but it worked. Almost automatically the guard came closer and leaned in towards the bars in surprise to see who the other person in the cell was, she had been told she was only guarding the Wookie and no-one else. Before she could think to move out of the way Chewbacca was on his feet and at the bars, holding the lizard by her neck and fumbling for the keys at her belt. She was struggling to speak, but Chewie quickly snapped her neck, knowing that if he left her alive she would immediately alert others of his escape.

Quickly he found the right key and let himself out, locking the dead body of the guard in the cell just for good measure. Then he turned into the corridor they had taken Han down, in search of his enslaved partner.

* * *

Han's wrists were sore with the effort, every tug made his eyes water as the cuffs chafed his raw skin and the wounds on his chest stretched and screamed protest at the repeated abuse he was dealing out. He wasn't sure whether or not his efforts were making any difference whatsoever to how embedded the hooks were into the wall. He sagged for a moment, panting heavily and feeling positively worn out from the strain.

_Come on Solo, you haven't lost yet_, he thought to himself as he tugged once again. He thought he could feel the chains giving way but it could easily be his imagination. Craning his neck to see whether the cement was even cracking was no use, the slaves' quarters were pitch black and he couldn't see anything at all. Han shuddered involuntarily as he remembered the feeling of wondering whether he would ever see again.

Han pulled harder, pushing himself onto his knees to put some strength behind his efforts. His chest was burning. He ignored the small feeling inside him that begged for him to just give up and rest. "Corellian's never say die," he muttered to himself. Then he heard a noise and he paused to listen carefully. After another moment's silence he wondered if he had imagined it but then he heard it again. It sounded like someone was sniffing. Another slave no doubt.

Solo continued to pull, wincing at the now even sharper pain in his wrists. He gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out. Again he heard a noise and paused to listen again. Unmistakably a very quiet sniff, but Han noted something strange about it - it sounded like someone was trying to smell for something, not sniffing because they were crying or ill.

"Hello?" Han whispered, wondering if he would live to regret it. "Who's there?"

A shuffle.

"Hel..." Han's second greeting was cut short as he was suddenly grabbed by something big and hairy. He cried out and struggled, gasping as he pulled too quickly at his injured wrists. He kicked out with his legs and met a body that didn't even flinch backwards, but quickly clamped a giant hand over his mouth.

"Shhh! Keep it down!" Han quickly relaxed with relief and the hand removed itself from his mouth.

"Chewie!" Han whispered gladly, "Am I glad to see you, pal."

"Try not to wake up the whole building next time," joked Chewie.

"Try to warn me you're about to crush me to death next time," retorted Han. "Give me a hand with these chains will ya, I'm trying to pull them out of the wall."

Chewie gave no reply but found the chains with his hands and pulled as hard as he could. At first there was no reaction from the wall and Han feared he would never escape, but after a few harder yanks from the Wookie the wall began to creak and the chains fell out with a resounding thud. Han gritted his teeth and both held their breath in the darkness, hoping no one had heard the crash and been awoken.

They were met with a comforting silence, apart from the slow breathing of the surrounding slaves. Neither spoke but both stood up as quietly as they could, Chewbacca scooping up the heavy chains that were still attached to Han's wrists. Han frowned but knew that his copilot could carry them out much more quietly than he could manage. He ignored the now lessening pain in his wrists and chest and walked after the Wookie, trying to be directed by his soft footsteps.

They neared light after a few moments and entered the corridor where Han noted a dead human guard in the doorway, obviously Chewbacca's handiwork. He gave the Wookie a nod and indicated that they try to get out through the kitchen area which had a back door for deliveries of small live creatures, ingredients for vicious cocktails and fodder for the Rancor and Jabba's other hideous pets.

Chewbacca nodded after a moments thought and they headed off towards the kitchens to make their escape. Hopefully they would manage to kill the remaining guards and then find their way to safety and off this planet by tomorrow. Then they could worry about finding Leia if Chewbacca confirmed his fears that she had been sold to the Empire. Han frowned with worry, hoping that the Imperials had not hurt her and more importantly that she was still alive. He felt a warmth grow in his chest as he thought of the princess who he had first rescued in hope of a reward from her rich family. No time for that now though, he shook his head and concentrated on their plans for escape.


	7. Chapter 7

Chewbacca stopped suddenly, his human copilot followed suit and froze behind him. They were near the kitchens now and Chewbacca could hear the breathing of a few sentients staggered about the place, they were almost certainly guards - the slowness of their breathing indicated they were standing motionless and had been for some time. The Wookie turned to dump the heavy pile of chains into Han's arms so that he might kill the nearest guard who was just inside the doorway.

He never knew what hit him. He was standing there keeping an eye out for any movement, he felt a tickle on his throat and reached to scratch it, but a silent furry arm had slid around his neck and with a horrible snap, broken it. He crumpled to the floor, dead, and the Wookie and the human climbed quietly over his lifeless body. Han reached down and grabbed the blaster from his now useless fingers, gladly holding it in his hands. He had missed the feeling of a good weapon in his grasp.

"Where're the others?" Han asked and Chewie pointed through a second doorway across the room that they stood in. The exit was through that way as well. "Let's go."

Silently they padded through the room to the next doorway. Han quickly poked his head around the door and squinted at the too-bright light of the Hutt's enormous kitchen. There was little in the way of conventional ingredients, Jabba seemed to mostly prefer his food alive or at least raw, but there were lots of knives and huge bowls. Han suppressed a shudder at the memory of seeing the hideous Hutt eat.

The guards were both stationed at the other side of the kitchen, at the entrance. He could use his newly acquired blaster but that would attract attention. The only thing for it was to get across the whole room unnoticed, hiding behind the crates and bowls as they went.

Han started to leave but Chewbacca placed a restraining hand on his chest and indicated that he should go alone. "No way, fuzz face - we're in this together!" Han protested, but the Wookie frowned at him fiercely and pointed to the chains and chunk of wall that his friend was being forced to haul around with him, already knowing that he would not be able to deter his stubborn human friend. Han shrugged the Wookie's concerns off and crept silently into the kitchen, stopping behind a huge near the doorway.

Exasperated, the Wookie followed silently. Bit by bit they made their way across the kitchen, avoiding anything metal or unstable that might make a noise and give them away. Soon they were almost close enough to attack the guards and regain their freedom. Han quickly jogged from behind a huge wooden bowl to a closer by crate, suddenly he felt his foot slip beneath him. Alarmed, he struggled to regain his balance and simultaneously keep from dropping the chains attached to his wrists.

He failed. In that split second he looked down and saw a liquid on the floor, cursing himself for not being more careful, before he landed with a thud and a clatter of chains on the soaking wet ground. "Sith!" he cursed in whisper, looking up to see the fearful expression of his friend. The guards were already rushing over to see what had caused the commotion. Han struggled to his feet and held his blaster, poised and ready.

"Hey you!" a guard shouted at him, "You haven't got clearance to be here!"

"Erm," a million excuses flashed through Han's mind but none of them would be plausible whilst he was so obviously chained. "Ah, what the hell," he exclaimed and shot the first guard with the blaster, which he realised was on heavy stun. The second guard rushed to him in the blink of an eye and grabbed the stolen blaster, trying to wrestle it away from the escaped prisoner.

Han held on with all his strength, still cradling the chunk of wall in one arm, quickly kicking the guard and then whacking him over the head with the blaster's end. The man staggered back but quickly rushed and rammed Han, who ignored the strain the cuts the lizard had scratched into his chest, landing on top of him in a tangled heap. Han took a couple of punches to the face as he struggled to push the man from off of him, cursing the chains that hindered him.

Then the weight was lifted and the man silenced as Chewbacca dragged him off his friend. Han pulled himself to his feet, not wasting any time. "Where the hell were you?" he demanded.

"I thought you might keep them occupied _quietly_ while I sneaked around behind them," Chewbacca replied almost tensely.

"Ah, well that might have worked too," admitted Han. "Let's go!"

They sped to the doorway and Chewbacca began to quickly type in an order to open the door. "Code," the robotic female voice ordered in Standard, causing the Wookie to roar in frustration. There had never been a code before as far as he was aware. He hit the small electronic box with an angry fist, smashing it into pieces immediately.

"How the hell are we going to get out now?" Han demanded, his whole body was tense with adrenaline as they neared the climax of this escape attempt, either freedom or recapture. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart thumped loudly in his chest. If they didn't escape tonight he would be humiliated and dead within the next few cycles. Then who would help save Leia from the Imperials? Luke? Had he been sent off to Vader too?

Even as he spoke, the great door in front of them began to creak and then to lift to open. The friends looked at each other in surprise and readied themselves to sneak under the door as soon as it had lifted enough for them to get through. Chewie had obviously got lucky and smashed the right circuit. Han pressed himself to the ground by the time it had lifted an inch, to check for any guards outside. No-one. He whooped a quiet victory cheer and prepared to roll under.

Chewbacca grinned but he didn't feel safe yet and wouldn't do until they were off this planet and far away. Then he heard voices and froze. Obviously they weren't within human hearing range yet because Han hadn't indicated that he had heard anything. "Shhh!" he ordered his friend, straining to listen. The door continued to lift, painfully slowly, grating too loudly against the stone walls that stood beside it.

Han had looked up at his friend's warning and listened carefully, to his dismay he could hear the voices that his partner had no doubt been telling him about. Again he cursed silently to himself and wondered why this couldn't just be easy. The door was almost high enough for him to slide under. The voices were getting louder.

Chewbacca futilely grabbed the bottom of the door and tried to push it up quicker, but to no avail. The voices would be upon them soon. A moment later the door was high enough for Han and he shoved his friend to help him under, replacing him at the doors base, waiting the next few seconds that it would take before he himself could fit himself through. Solo paced outside the door carrying his chains in his arms, desperately hoping that his friend would make it through before the guards came to fight them both.

Then all of a sudden, Chewie was standing beside him and without pausing for anything, they started to run into the black desert, unable to see much at all in the darkness of Tatooine's night. Han was panting heavily as he ran, wishing he could run faster but unable to with the heavy chains weighing him down. He knew his copilot was running a lot slower than he could to make sure he didn't leave his side. "Leave me behind for Sith's sake!" Han panted, to which the Wookie roared protest. Han knew that would be his answer, but he still didn't like it.

"Stop!" he suddenly said and both ground to a halt. Chewbacca had heard it as well. The unmistakeable sound of vehicles driving towards them from the opposite direction of Jabba's palace. Chewie dragged Han to the ground, the best hiding place that the empty desert land could provide. They could see the lights now and they were coming closer.

"Who the hell is that?" Han asked and Chewie shrugged. It could be anyone, but if they were on their way to Jabba's palace at this time of night then they probably weren't good news for any escaped prisoners of the mighty Hutt. They both pressed as hard as they could into the sand, hoping that the vehicles would skim right past them. But to the friends' dismay they stopped only a few metres away.

The sound of a door opening, two foot falls as the occupant of the speeder jumped down to the sandy ground. Han could hear his heart beating loudly again.

"Who goes there?" a voice called out to them.

They lay there silently, holding their breath, hoping they had not really seen them. They couldn't get caught now when they were so close.

"Is that you, Solo? And your overgrown furball of a copilot?" This time Han recognised the voice and now that it was obvious they had definitely been spotted, he pulled himself to his feet with an angry snarl on his face and his finger ready on the trigger of his blaster. It was Der'Khan, blaster in hand, trying to make his life a misery yet again.

"Get lost Der'Khan. We'll go on our way, you go on yours." he snarled. Chewbacca also climbed to his feet.

"I don't think so, Solo. I'm looking forward to the maze too much to not bring you back to Jabba," he laughed. "Will I capture you for my slave or just kill you? I just can't decide."

"You slimy son of a Hutt!" Han shouted and leapt forward onto the man, pounding his fists into his stomach and face, knocking him to the ground in an instant. Chewbacca grabbed Han's fallen blaster from the ground and held it ready, trying to get a shot at Der'Khan but unable to whilst Solo was on top of him, pummelling his chest. With a mighty shove Der'Khan managed to push the Corellian from on top of him and clambered onto his chest as soon as Solo was on the ground. Han gasped as air escaped his lungs and he was sure he felt the gashes reopening, it certainly hurt enough.

Der'Khan managed one punch to Han's skull before Chewbacca was pulling him from his friend with ease. He held him at bay whilst Han dragged himself to his feet. "You'll be sorry, Der'Khan."

"I don't think so."

Several blaster shots fired and Han and Chewie fell to the ground to avoid them, the Wookie rolled around and fired back in the direction from which the shots had come. A scream let him know that at least one of his shots had hit home. He aimed again, but another barrage followed and Chewbacca cried out himself as he was hit square in the chest with a heavy stun shot.

Roaring with anger he pulled himself to his feet and fired back several times, another cry let him know that another one of the attackers had fallen. Der'Khan had leapt on top of Han again and they continued to fight, Han throwing sluggish punches with the limited movement his chains allowed. He had to hold the chains in one arm whilst he punched with the other. Chewie was beginning to feel sluggish himself as the effects of the stun began to slow him down. He dropped to his knees, still firing into the darkness from which the shots had come. Standing in the headlights of the speeder with the enemy safely hidden in the shadows he had hardly been evenly matched.

The blaster fell from his numbed fingers and he slumped to the ground now unable to move but still, for the moment, conscious. He saw the two remaining attackers come into the light provided by the speeder and train their guns on Han who was struggling with Der'Khan, obviously hesitating to fire in case they hit their friend/boss/whatever he was to them. As Chewbacca slipped into unconsciousness, he noticed with some small satisfaction that at least Han seemed to have the upper hand for the moment in the punch-up against his old rival.

Der'Khan swung a roundhouse punch and Han ducked out of the way, returning the attack with a swing of his arms which send the hooks from his chains sailing into his enemy's head. They were at least becoming some use. Der'Khan cried out and grabbed his face, and Han swung again, this time hitting the man's stomach with a painful thwack. Han noted out of the corner of his eye that Chewbacca was lying unconscious on the floor, stunned. The odds were lowering but there was still a chance.

Der'Khan threw a quick punch to Han's jaw that sent him staggering backwards a couple of steps, then he came after him and punched him again and again. Lip stinging with the familiar pain of a cut to match the one the slaver had given him, Han struggled to keep his balance as he braced himself for the torrent of punches that would continue. Der'Khan pulled his fist back and Solo doubled over and rammed him, knocking him to the ground with his shoulders, then he quickly grabbed the chains attached to his wrists and beat them over the other man's chest and stomach.

Der'Khan cried out several times, trying to dodge the flying metal loops that was leaving painful bruises and huge cuts all over his body, eventually managing to move out of the way. Han eyed his stolen blaster that lay near Chewie's hand and moved closer to it, staying wary. Der'Khan kicked out from the floor, painfully hitting Han's shin. Han cursed and swung his chains again but Der'Khan planted a second kick so hard that it knocked the Corellian to the floor.

Han didn't have time to grab his throbbing leg, he started to push himself up to his feet again but Der'Khan had beat him to it. "Fighting dirty are we, Solo?"

"I'm chained, you're not. I wouldn't call that clean!" Han called back as he dodged a plank of wood that Der'Khan swung down heavily at him. Obviously one of the others had thrown it to him. The plank came down again and scratched past Han's leg as he dodged it, making him wince with pain. He quickly scrambled to his feet before the other man could whack at him with the wood again.

Han punched him squarely in the jaw and once in the stomach, surprising him. But Der'Khan quickly returned with several of his own punches. Han's head spun wildly at each blow but he fought against the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him and blocked the next few punches, landing a few more of his own. The other man staggered back and wiped the blood from his already battered jaw. Then he lifted the plank and threw it down with such force that Han cried out with pain and toppled down to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Groggily, he pushed his hands to the ground to try and push himself back to his feet but a wave of nausea washed over him and he stumbled back down to sitting on the cold desert sand. Han grabbed a handful of sand, planning to throw it in Der'Khan's face as soon as he came close enough, but suddenly a boot met with his face and knocked him to the ground with a painful thud. Solo rubbed his face to ease to pain, his head was spinning as if he were drunk. He started to stagger to his feet but a voice shouted at him to freeze, telling him there was a blaster trained on him. Dizzily he sank back to the floor but felt himself being hauled back up to his feet.

He nearly toppled back down as the arms that had dragged him up let go but he somehow managed to stay standing. He was vaguely aware of a blaster being shoved into the back of his head and being told: "Don't try anything funny," as the chains round his wrists were looped to the leather hooks at his waist that the slave's outfit he'd been dressed in provided.

"Walk, Solo," Der'Khan jeered at him. Han was not conscious enough to resist. The presence of blasters told him not to resist. He vaguely saw the others dragging Chewie along the ground and started, but Der'Khan's blaster pressed into the back of his head. He walked.


	8. Chapter 8

"Look what I found wandering around in the desert, mighty Jabba," Der'Khan announced, pushing a semi-conscious and bleeding Han to the ground in an unceremonious heap. Han moaned softly but lay there quite still. Chewbacca who was being dragged in by Der'Khan's friends under deep stun was also dumped in front of the Hutt.

Jabba bellowed angrily at his guards. "How did this happen? Find out who let this happen and bring them to me." He turned to Der'Khan and continued, "You will be rewarded Der'Khan. What do you want?"

"I would very much like to have Solo as my own slave."

"That is not possible," Jabba told him angrily. "The winner of the maze will be the one to own Solo."

"May I take part in the hunt?" Der'Khan asked hopefully.

"If you are within the highest five offers then yes!" Jabba chuckled with glee over the thought of all the credits he would earn from this venture. He didn't care how much Der'Khan had helped him, he wasn't going to lose out on any of the credits and let him join in for free. However, he didn't wish to lose the loyalty of one of his best pilots.

"You may keep him as your slave until the maze takes place. But keep him in the palace unless you have my permission to leave," Jabba told him. He recognised the mean glee on the pilot's face and laughed a hollow laugh at the sadistic pleasure much like his own. "Do not hurt him too much, I want a good hunt in two days. Tomorrow I want the planet to see that I have Solo and to know about the hunt."

"It would be my pleasure mighty Jabba. I will make sure it is most humiliating." He turned to the men at his side and ordered them to bring Han Solo up to one of the guest rooms that he would have to stay in to keep his new slave in the palace. Der'Khan smiled wickedly, he was certainly going to enjoy his stay.

* * *

Han's first conscious feelings were that of a splitting headache vibrating around his skull and a cold, damp smell that made his nose tickle. His eyes were stuck shut and he reached to rub them, feeling the now familiar restriction of cold metal around his wrists. He looked at his knuckles, now dusted in dry blood. That explained what had caused the headache. He deducted by its sparse, impersonal decor that the room he was in was some sort of hotel room, and by the fact that his hands were again chained above his head that if not Jabba's prisoner, he was definitely somebody's.

He groaned at the aches in his side from the fight he had had the night before, although he couldn't remember which particular part of the fight the pains could have come from. He grimaced, probably Der'Khan kicking his ribs while he was unconscious - that was the sort of slime ball he was. Der'Khan. Han certainly had a score to settle with him that he wasn't going to let lie. If he hadn't been weakened and chained the other man would not have stood a chance.

Fingers grasped his chin suddenly and pulled his face to look up, his gaze met Der'Khan's and he shook his head out of the man's grasp in disgust. His head throbbed a little quicker for a moment and he screwed his eyes shut to get a hold of himself.

"Feeling any better this morning, Han?" Der'Khan said in a falsely pleasant tone as he crouched down in front of the Corellian.

"What the hell are you doing here Der'Khan?" Han demanded.

"Jabba gave you to me as a present," Der'Khan told him with a laugh and a flash of a smile.

The colour drained from Han's face but he tried to hide his worry. Being the prisoner of the Hutt was bad enough, but being Der'Khan's slave was one of the worst things he could possibly imagine.

"Yeah right, like the Hutt would ever give up his most precious prize," Han spat, the worry he felt was hidden from his voice.

Der'Khan ignored his comment and continued. "Time for you to get up, there's a lot for you to do today slave." Han gave him a sarcastic smile which he ignored. "Get him up please guards and ready for a visit to town."


	9. Chapter 9

Han tried to ignore what was going on around him. For a moment he had almost felt tears in his eyes at the humiliation of what Der'Khan was doing to him, but he had blocked all that off and simply felt angry and hungry for revenge. He stared at the back of Der'Khan's head with glaring eyes, willing for his skull to split open and for him to drop down dead, screaming with agonising pain. If only.

Han stumbled as they walked through the outskirts of the city, the stun cuffs around his ankles not allowing much movement of his feet at all without sending a burning and momentarily paralysing shock through both of his legs. He had already tried that twice, ending up sitting on the floor gasping heavily for his breath. Even if he had wanted to rub his legs to ease the sudden searing pain he could not have, his hands were firmly cuffed behind his back with heavy metal links that he knew not even Chewie would have been able to help him out of.

He cursed his predicament and dreaded the moment they came closer to the centre of the town where people would stare at him and most of them would laugh, although he wouldn't have admitted the feeling of panic that the thought brought up in his stomach. Who would hire him and Chewie now? His reputation would be the pilot who was enslaved by Jabba the Hutt, don't hire him, he'll end up being paraded down the streets on a lead like a pet.

Han looked down dismally at the chain that securely linked the tight collar around his throat to Der'Khan, who walked in front of him proudly displaying his prisoner. Der'Khan held the strong leather rope tightly in his hand, knowing that if he somehow lost Solo then he himself would probably be in the same predicament before long. And he didn't want that to happen at all.

"You're bantha fodder when I get out of here Der'Khan, I swear Chewie and me'll have our revenge," Han whispered savagely at the other man's back. Behind them two guards followed holding blasters. He was well and truly trapped, but he was certainly on the look out for the right moment to make an escape attempt, although how far he'd get with his hands behind his back and stun cuffs around his ankles he had no idea.

"Yeah, I'm really scared Solo," Der'Khan retorted with a sneer without turning to face him. If he had believed for a moment that Han might escape he would have been worried, but he couldn't see how it was possible. The guy had more enemies than friends and no hope in hell.

They were beginning to approach people now, Han could tell. He could hear the buzz of people, it sounded like a market stall and in this city, no doubt it was an illegal market, full of the sort of sentients who would relish the chance to come and see him hunted to the death in some sort of magical maze. "Hunt to the death!" Der'Khan suddenly shouted, "Jabba invites you to see Han Solo hunted to the death in his horrific maze!" A buzz of chatter was quickly replaced by a silence that spread through the whole of the market place as everyone looked over and listened. Han looked around warily, wishing they would all turn away.

"Yeah and next week see Der'Khan slaughtered when I've escaped and Jabba executes him!" Han shouted out. A buzz of laughter sounded around the market for which Han was grateful. He could see Der'Khan's shoulders tense with frustration and he turned to face his helpless prisoner. "Shut it Solo or I'll just kill you right here, Jabba or no Jabba."

"I don't think so Der'Khan," said Han. Most of the market was watching now and Der'Khan continued to address them. "People of Tatooine, Han Solo, slave of Jabba," Han winced, "will be left in a maze full of hidden traps to catch him and confuse him at every turn. Five of the most skilled hunters will hunt him down to either kill him or claim him for their own slave. You're all invited to come and watch or put in your bid to take part in the hunt tomorrow."

There was an excited buzz of chatter. Han tugged at his chains restlessly, feeling a lot more than irritation at his helplessness in this situation, he couldn't escape, he couldn't really move, all he could do was make sarcastic comments to keep at least some of his pride. How had he allowed himself to let it get to this? When he kept putting off Jabba's payment he hadn't expected it to ever go this far. He grimaced as Der'Khan tugged at the rope, indicating that he should move along and continue to walk.

"But the hunters won't be able to see the traps either," shouted one of the market vendors, genuinely curious. Han hadn't thought about that, he had been trying to avoid thinking about the whole thing altogether and instead concentrating on escape.

"Ah, glad you mentioned that," Der'Khan said cheerfully. "The hunters will be equipped with special goggles that will allow them to see signals that the traps let off and so avoid them. Tomorrow night! Jabba's palace, you're all invited!" he shouted as they continued, "Spread the word!"

"You sound like an idiot!" Han told him with a laugh. "Like a news boy."

"Not as much as an idiot as you look, Solo," Der'Khan told him and Han couldn't help but feel that he was right.

"At least I've still got my honour," he said, his voice steady and dangerous. He was ignored.

Han stared hardly at the people around him, stepping slowly so he didn't activate his cuffs. He caught a few people's eyes and saw amusement, smugness and pity, none of which he at all enjoyed. A few faces looked vaguely familiar but he didn't know any of them, although some of them might have known him. The worst was yet to come as they approached the centre of the city.

Han's feet were aching as they approached even busier areas, a few storm troopers were milling around sporting blasters and generally pushing people around a bit to pass the time. Der'Khan called around for an audience and once he had their attention he started his announcement again. Han couldn't stand it being on display like this. Without pausing for thought he bent double and head-butted Der'Khan's back, knocking him to the ground and somehow managing to maintain his balance even with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Der'Khan cursed loudly and jumped back to his feet, he had dropped the rope he held attached to Han's neck. "Damn you, Solo!" he reached out to punch the stubborn Corellian in the face but Han ducked and rammed him again. The gathered crowd laughed but Han fell to the floor in pain, he had accidentally activated the stun cuffs around his ankles and for a moment he was frozen, unable to move. He shouted out.

The two guards holding blasters flanked him and held blasters to Solo's head, causing him to stop where he was and not trying anything more. For the moment. "Don't try anything Solo," one of them said. Der'Khan was brushing himself off angrily, he spared a venomous glare at his prisoner then addressed the crowd who were entertained and watching with enthusiasm.

"As you can see, Han Solo puts up a good fight. If you want to see him hunted come to Jabba's palace tomorrow night."

There was a murmur of interest and Han groaned.

A sudden shout from the crowd grabbed his attention and he started, looking to the group of people and seeing two men running towards them. Han's jaw dropped in surprise as they started to throw things at the guards who flanked him, drawing their attention. Perhaps his luck wasn't out after all.

"Jabba killed my uncle!" one of them shouted and he threw a brick that only just missed Han's head as it whizzed past his ear. The other man quickly knocked the blaster out of one of the guard's hands and jumped on him, showering him with punches. The second guard aimed his own blaster at him, trying to get a good shot but not wanting to accidentally shoot his coworker.

Solo jumped to his feet, turning from the fight that had just sprung up behind him. There was no use in wasting this opportunity. All the attention had turned away from him, more sentients had started to crowd around and see what the commotion was, but all eyes were on the guards and their two attackers, not on him. Han glanced around quickly to make sure that no-one was paying him any attention and noted with some measure of glee that none of them were.

He grinned and started to walk away at an agonisingly slow pace that was almost just a shuffle to avoid being incapacitated by the stun cuffs at his feet. It was irritating and unlikely to get him very far, but it gave him more of a chance than sticking around with Jabba's guys. Han tried to quicken his pace as he heard Der'Khan give a shout and start after his escaping prisoner.

"Sith!" Han cursed and turned to check on his enemy's progress, he had just begun to jog towards him at a pace that Han couldn't match in his current situation. Then, to his surprise at his good fortune, a woman joined the attack, kicking Der'Khan squarely in the back of the knees, knocking him to the ground and then going at him with a large stone. Han spared a struggling Der'Khan one last look and then turned and upped his speed.

Grinning to himself, Han shuffled away from the crowd and into the simple streets of Tatooine. He needed to find someone who was on his side and fast. He wouldn't last long on this scum-filled rubbish tip of a world cuffed like this, he'd soon find himself someone else's slave if not captured and brought back to Jabba. All it would take would be for someone with a knife, or even just a strong pair of arms and he would no longer be free.

Han could hear the cheers and shouts of a rowdy, violent crowd behind him, fading into quiet as he walked as quickly as he could into an area of the city that seemed empty and was definitely a lot quieter. Han pondered over the options that he had - they would most certainly come looking for him: first Der'Khan as he panicked that he had lost Jabba's prize and then Jabba's people would come searching for them both when they realised they were missing, Jabba assuming that his trusted pilot Der'Khan had run off with his "property." Han couldn't help but grin as he imagined the scum smuggler replacing him as Jabba's favourite new slave after all the torment Der'Khan had given him.

Thinking quickly, Han noticed a trapdoor by someone's house and, trusting his instincts, lay down level with it and eased it open with his foot to listen for any possible occupants. It was silent inside, not even any evidence of breathing reached Han's ears. He slid inside and, with some difficulty, he climbed down the staircase to find himself in an anonymously dark room that smelt just like an average cellar. Thinking that it was probably his best bet to hide here until Der'Khan had gotten scared and gave up on looking for him, and fled, Han sat down carefully near the staircase and waited.


	10. Chapter 10

Han had searched around the place and although he had found a few sharp objects he hadn't the maneuverability to use them to remove his cuffs, with his hands locked tightly together behind his back, so he had crouched by the staircase, ready to make a run for it if need be. He was in much too much trouble to even contemplate falling asleep but he had drifted into a sort of daze after sitting for so long.

The sudden noise from the back of the cellar startled him and he started up the stairs at once, instinct taking over. He immediately regretted it. Dropping to the ground and toppling down the few stairs he had managed to climb, he curled round on the floor in agony for a moment, crying out as a searing pain tore through his legs. The stun cuffs. Now he was for it.

From where he lay, he looked up to see a door had opened on the other side of the room and light was filtering in, silhouetting the form of a humanoid sentient who stood in the doorway, obviously holding a rifle. Han could hear the buzz that only older models created when they were using up power by being on standby. He frowned, wondering why he had trusted himself to hide anywhere on this planet.

"Who's there!" an older, female voice shouted hoarsely.

"Er... I'm sorry, I didn't realise this place was yours, I'll get going," Han called back hopefully. He tried to stand but his legs had stopped hurting now and had instead gone numb.

"Stand up where I can see you or I'll blow your head off!" she ordered him, "I've got a rifle here."

"I'm trying to!" Han said, wishing he could at least use his hands to help rub the feeling back into his legs. A shot fired over his head and smashed into the stone staircase. He ducked instinctively, his heart speeding unhealthily as he quickly recovered from the surprise, "Hey, no need to get nasty. My legs are numb. Stun cuffs."

She came closer, pointing the gun at his head, until she stood in front of him, shining a torch so she could look at his face in the darkness of the dank cellar. Han squinted as the bright light shone in his eyes. He didn't like the feeling of being examined as though he were a piece of meat being qualified to be sold.

"What's your name, boy?" she asked him, pushing the gun to his head as a reminder of the threat she posed.

"Solo, Han Solo," he told her, desperately hoping that she wasn't one of Jabba's close followers. It was certainly a risk, but she didn't look like one of Jabba's friend's. She had dark, withered skin, lightened and slightly golden from so many years working under the suns, and she wore an outfit like Luke had when he had first met him, probably an honest ex-moisture farmer, not exactly Jabba's type.

"And what are you doing in my outhouse?" she asked him, still holding the gun to his head.

"I'm hiding from Jabba the Hutt," he laughed. "Look, why don't you put the gun down, my hands are chained behind me and I can't even run without activating these damned cuffs."

She didn't laugh back, but pocketed her gun, disappeared for a moment and returned with an old-fashioned metal saw. For a brief moment Han thought she was going to attack him with it, but to his relief she walked round to kneel behind him and began to saw at his cuffs. He flinched as the metal grazed his hands. "Sorry," she said softly. Han's heart began to slow back to his normal pace. His luck was in again.

As the chains dropped to the ground and Han rubbed his hands together, regaining some of their feeling and flexing them to get them back into good working order, she spoke again, "Were you a prisoner of Jabba?"

"Yeah, and thanks for getting me out of these."

"I relish any chance to get back at Jabba," she said and paused thoughtfully, a sad look in her eyes, before setting to work on the cuffs at Han's feet. Han braced himself in case the saw set off another jolt of pain, some of the cuffs were programmed to do that at the first sign of a breach. Thankfully his simply fell to the floor with a clink. Gratefully he stretched his legs without a fear of pain.

"Thanks."

"Come inside, my husband is making some stew, you can share some with us."

Han's stomach rumbled, but he couldn't rest now. He had to go back to Jabba's palace and rescue Chewbacca, he was probably going spare now, not knowing what had happened Solo, the last he had seen he had been fighting with Der'Khan - anything could have happened, particularly as Chewie's recapture made it obvious they had not won. "Thanks for the offer but I've got to go back to Jabba's place, my friend's still there."

She looked at him for a moment, deep in thought, and then a look of determination crossed her features and she stood up purposefully, offering a hand to help pull Han to his feet. Embarrassed, Han took it, his legs were still a little shaky from the powerful stun they had taken a few minutes before. "I'm going to help you," she told him.

"Hey, don't worry, I can handle it myself," he said, sounding more sure of himself than he actually was. He would die trying if necessary, but he'd rather do that than bring innocent farmers into this mess as well.

"Nonsense," she told him angrily, "You'll need all the help you can get. I've been wanting to get back at Jabba for a while and this may be the only chance I've got." Her fists clenched as she said the Hutt crime-lord's name and her eyes lit up with hatred.

"It's dangerous in there," Han protested, feeling he ought to deter her.

"I'm not stupid boy, how do you think I lived this long?"

Han couldn't help but grin at that, and he guessed he could use a little help, even if it was from an old farmer.

She continued: "Now come inside and get some stew inside you and when night falls we'll be at Jabba's palace with enough weaponry to kill everyone in there twice."

He couldn't argue with an offer like that.


	11. Chapter 11

Han and the woman, whose name had turned out to be Brentha, ran across the last stretch of sand before they reached Jabba's palace. In the darkness Han hoped that he wouldn't be recognised before they could put the plan into action. As the gap between them and the door to Jabba's palace quickly closed they didn't bother to speak to each other, they had both discussed, with help from Brentha's husband, what they were going to do and there was no need to discuss it again.

Cold air and sand whipped through Han's hair and he ignored his heart beating fast and strong against his ribcage as he knocked loudly on the enormous front door. They had decided on the direct approach.

"Who's there?" a voice called through some sort of transmitter.

Han grinned to himself at their clever plan as he replied: "It's Der'Khan here, with the prisoner Han Solo. Had a bit of trouble but we're back now."

There was a long, tension-filled pause as the guards on the other side processed the information and decided on a course of action. After a couple of minutes they finally replied. "What's the password?"

Sith! Han cursed to himself, there had never been a password before! Brentha shot him a horror-filled look but he ignored her, thinking as fast as he could. There was no password he thought frantically…yes! That was it! "There isn't any password, now let me in - Solo needs his sleep for the games tomorrow," he said, sounding as irritated as he could.

"Okay, can't be too careful," the guard told him cheerfully, and the great door began to rise immediately, grating heavily on the stone walls, whirring with the sound of machinery pulling it up. Soon, the legs of two guards came into view as the gap between the floor and the door widened and things went more and more according to plan. With a quick nod to each other, Solo and the old woman poked their blasters under the door and aimed upwards, shooting the two guards before they even knew what was happening. Both dropped to the ground dead and Han felt a sudden pang of guilt. It was hard convincing himself that they were just murderous scum, after all, he had been on Jabba's payroll once. Instead he reminded himself that it was them or Chewie.

Quickly, the pair rushed under the door and started toward's the room where Jabba spent most of his time, the room where Han had been so proudly displayed in carbonite as a symbol to all who dared to cross him. Han shuddered. There was no time to check the slaves' quarters or cells for Chewie, they had to get to Jabba as quickly as possible so they could threaten his life to ward off the others.

Moments later they rushed into Jabba's room, sending laser blasts all over the place as a warning for everyone in there that they were armed. They found themselves face to face with just Jabba sitting by himself, apart from Chewbacca, who stood under a strong metal cage beside him. Both looked up startled by the sudden commotion, but only Chewie whooped with delight at the sight of the Corellian free and even better, armed.

"You're in trouble this time, Jabba!" Han told him.

"Cooperate or we'll send you to the same fate you've sent so many others," Brentha sneered at him, her eyes again full of hatred. She hadn't explained where it had come from so Han hadn't asked.

"Ah, Solo. You have escaped again. I shouldn't have trusted that useless Der'Khan," Jabba said. It was difficult to tell if his voice betrayed any fear he might have, the deep bellowing noise that came from his mouth didn't seem to hold any emotions, at least not to their ears. Han looked at Chewbacca worriedly, the Wookie was covered in cuts and bruises, some of his fur was matted with blood, but at least he didn't look too badly harmed.

"Let the Wookie go or we blast this place to hell," Han told him.

"Get out of here, Han!" Chewbacca shouted to his friend, worried that he was about to get himself killed, "Don't waste time, get to freedom."

"Ah, shut up pal," Han told him, "We're getting out of here together."

Jabba laughed, but he stopped as Han pulled out a handful of the mini detonators from the small sack that Brentha had had in her house. She had provided more than enough weapons for them to use, more than Han could have pulled together in time to save Chewie. "A few of these will do enough damage to screw you over though, right?"

"My guards will shoot you first!" Jabba laughed as a group materialised with weapons near the door from which Solo and Brentha had entered.

Brentha fired her blaster at the Hutt's tail as a warning shot, and Jabba squealed in pain and began thrashing about swearing in his native tongue. "Fire at us and we'll kill him!" she shouted to the guards who were looking a little uncertain. Brentha walked over closer to the Hutt and a small warning bell began to ring in Han's mind, something wasn't quite right. She took a step closer...

"No!" he suddenly shouted, running towards her. The trapdoor fell and Jabba laughed evilly, despite the pain the shot to his tail had caused. Brentha fell into the rancor pit with a scream and Han cursed, wondering if he should jump in to help her or whether he would be of more use up here where he could stop them from getting trapped in here for good. With his guard momentarily down, several blasts shot past him as the guards realised it might be their only chance. Han dived and rolled towards the Hutt, hoping to use him as a shield.

He turned to shoot back at the guards to cover himself as he quickly ran behind the Hutt before they could get a good shot in, and before the slow, slug-like Hutt could turn fast enough to stop him. Stalemate.

At the sight of the guards coming closer, Han shouted, "Come any closer and I'll shoot at the Hutt, not at you!" he sighed with relief as they stopped and held back but continued to fire. He couldn't have fought them all off at close range.

"Hey, Brentha, are you okay?" he shouted. He hadn't heard a sound from the woman since she had screamed as she fell in. The worry showed in his voice, he had gotten her into this mess after all.


	12. Chapter 12

Brentha screamed as the floor fell away beneath her and she dropped through it to find herself in a smallish, damp, rank-smelling cave-like room. She landed quite well, managing to crouch as she landed and take the brunt of the fall off her legs, but she was still quite disorientated. She quickly realised what had happened, Jabba had obviously triggered some sort of trapdoor mechanism and she had fallen through it to leave Solo to fend for himself. Damn.

She looked around her and saw no means of getting herself out. Her eyes fell suddenly on a pile of bones in the corner and she started with shock, looking closer she saw they were the bones of sentients, not animals, and she shuddered. Suddenly the rank smell seemed to smell of death and fear. Her own fear was adding to it. What the hell had eaten those people?

She put the blaster shots and Solo out of her mind for a moment and concentrated on the bad situation at hand. She thought she could hear breathing. Clutching her blaster tightly in one hand and a knife in the other, she couldn't use the detonators in here or she'd collapse the ceiling onto her own head as well as on the creature's that lived in here, she crept to where the sound was coming from.

A huge creature, all fangs and fat and claws crawled on four legs towards her. She wasn't prepared for what she saw and almost froze in fright, but quickly steadied herself and shot at it with her blaster a few times. It moaned loudly and shrank back for a moment. Brentha's heart was skipping every other beat as she heard it grunt and sniff, afraid every moment that it was about to pounce back at her. And then it did.

It leapt at her stupidly and she ducked, not quick enough to fire her blaster. A moment later she realised she was still alive, it had jumped over her head when she had gone down. Now it was so close its smell was almost overpowering, she grimaced and fired at it again, this time aiming for its head. It screamed and clutched at it and she fired again and again, desperately hoping that at least one shot would hit some unseen blind spot.

It ran at her, slashing her face with a great claw and she screamed at the pain that suddenly flowed through her ripped cheek. She fired again, at its chest, it was roaring with pain but it wasn't yet dying, obviously, like the Hutt, it took more than one shot with the blaster to kill it, but in this case, more than a lot. She still held the knife in her hand and she ran around the back of it, it was too slow and stupid to move fast enough to keep up with her.

She jumped on its back and it thrashed around trying to throw her off. Brentha's arms weren't as strong as they had been when she was younger, but years of hard work on the farm had made them strong enough. She held on tightly and dug the knife into the animal's neck. It screamed and she jumped off, shooting it in its wound with more blaster shots. With one final roar it suddenly stood rigid, then it fell to the ground with a thud that made the walls shake.

Brentha sank to the ground, breathing heavily, worn out from the strain of the fight, unable to believe that she had actually managed to kill the beast, which must have made mincemeat out of dozens before it. Still, she reasoned, Jabba probably didn't usually drop his prisoners in here armed as heavily as she was. She tucked the knife back into its holster and pulled herself to her feet, she had to get out of this cave, there could be more of them lurking inside and she needed to help Solo and his Wookie friend.

* * *

Han didn't want to throw a detonator at the guards, it would block off their best chance of an easy escape when the doorway collapsed. He poked his head around the giant Hutt, who was at the moment doing his best to turn around so he could stop Solo from using him as cover, and fired several shots at the guards. A couple of them went down. At least he was a better shot than they were.

He heard a loud roar coming from the hole down which Brentha had fallen, and he hoped that she had managed to attack it rather than it being a request for seconds from the beast. Han ran round the other side of Jabba to where Chewbacca was trapped in the metal cage, its rungs too thick for him to snap. The guards fired more shots at both of them and Chewbacca roared angrily at them, unbeknownst to them threatening to rip their heads off once he got out of this damned cage.

Han winced as one of the shots made its way through the bars and glanced across his shoulder, burning the shirt that Brentha's husband had leant to him and singing his arm. Most of the shots were hitting the bars and shooting away safely but Han was worried another one would go through and kill him or Chewie. He fired a couple more shots back at them, shouting at Chewie simultaneously,

"How do I get you out of this thing?" he asked

Chewbacca roared in reply, indicating a lever in the nearby wall, just out of the Wookie's reach. Han nodded and raced over immediately, shooting at the guards as he did so to protect himself from their incoming blaster bolts. He heard another loud roar from the pit, so loud that it was heard over the noise of the blasters. Brentha must be putting up a good fight, he thought, but for how long?

Firing his blaster with one hand, he used his other to pull on the lever. It was stiff and he could have done with both hands, the chaffing and cuts on his wrists that he had caused by trying to pull off his chains the night before stung as he tugged. Then it gave and thankfully Chewie's cage began to lift. Jabba had just stopped rubbing his tail and complaining loudly about the pain he was in, and he turned to Solo and the Wookie. He held an electric rod in his hand and Han realised what he must have been doing to entertain himself before they joined the party.

Jabba jabbed at Chewbacca again through the bars, trying to keep him back and subdued enough to not extract his revenge on him, but Solo shot him again with several blaster shots to the chest area. Jabba shouted out with pain, screaming for a few moments before his eyes froze over and he gurgled, green froth spilling out of his mouth.

Chewbacca shouted that it was about time as he ducked under the lifting cage, and Han agreed wholeheartedly, tossing his friend the second blaster. Solo continued to fire back with vigour, scoring several hits but suddenly he himself fell to the ground with a shout and clutched his hip. Blaster bolts continued to fire around them and Chewie returned them as he called to his injured friend:

"Are you all right?"

Han tried to reply, "Sure," but with his teeth firmly gritted together, the Wookie could barely understand him. Solo bit back the pain as best he could and continued to fire his blaster with one arm, whilst he kept his other hand clamped at his hip, pressing it hard seemed to somehow dull the pain. To Han's annoyance, he suddenly felt a Wookie arm curl around his chest and pull him into the air, his friend's other arm still supporting their side of the defence. Solo felt himself being carried to the safety and cover of the Hutt's huge, dead body. "Hey, pal, you need me!" Han shouted as the Wookie poked his head around the body and continued to fire.

Now the Hutt was almost definitely dead, the remaining sentients, guards and otherwise seemed uncertain of what to do. They continued to fire half-heartedly for a few minutes, but as a couple more of them fell, a blue-skinned reptilian suddenly turned and ran from the room, and soon more of them followed. Without Jabba to reward them later there was little need to continue to fight. Chewbacca, with the cover of the Hutt's dead body, soon managed to pick off those who stayed loyal to the end before they could get close enough to get a good shot at him.

"Han, let's go," Chewbacca told him, and the Corellian struggled to his feet, doubling over with pain as the blaster wound in his hip stretched from his movement. The Wookie growled worriedly.

"Can't go yet, what about Brentha?" he said in gasps. The Wookie remembered the human woman at once and ran off down to the edge of the trapdoor, and Han staggered after him, with each step feeling like he was being stabbed. As the pain worsened with each second, black spots danced in front of his eyes and his thoughts blurred along with his vision. He gave in and quickly sank to the ground before he passed out.

* * *

Brentha had managed to use some of the bones and piled them up on top of the dead beast that she had killed, but the trapdoor's edge was still too high for her to reach. There was nothing else she could use to get her any closer, and she certainly didn't want to go tiptoeing through the adjoining tunnels to see if there was another exit. Then the blaster firing suddenly ceased and she knew one side or the other must have won.

She stood there silently, trying to listen for some clue as to whether she was about to be captured and killed, or pulled out, victorious and make her way back home, vengeance had. Jabba's gangsters had killed her son years ago when he had gotten himself into debt. They had come for him and dragged him down there, he had told his mother not to worry, that he would bargain for more time, and she had thrown some of her savings at him so he might use them to appease the Hutt. But she had never seen her son or that money again. She blinked back a tear as the emotions flooded back as strong as ever. Perhaps he had even been thrown down to the very same beast that she had just killed.

A head peered over the edge of the hole and Brentha sagged in relief as she recognised Han Solo's Wookie friend. So they had won the battle after all, Solo's friend was safe and her son avenged. He reached an arm down and she grabbed it, allowing herself to be pulled up into relative safety.

* * *

Han grinned when he saw Chewbacca pulling up the woman who had helped him so much, he and Chewbacca would have ended up dead without her help. He couldn't believe that she had survived the rancor, he had never known anyone else to, armed or not. It certainly took some skill to kill a beast of that size and strength. She ran over to him as soon as she saw him sitting there,

"Are you all right?" she asked, worried.

Han nodded, "Same as usual."

"Yeah, battered and bleeding," the Wookie snorted, but Solo could see that he was worried about his partner.

"Stop worrying about me fuzz-face, its just a scratch," Han protested, but Brentha was looking at his face too, concerned. He was probably looking very pale and unhealthy, he certainly felt drained and if he admitted it, weak, but he knew he was fine. Stubbornly, he lifted a leg to stand, but winced in pain and dropped a shade paler. Okay, he was fine so long as he didn't move.

"No arguments, Solo!" Chewbacca told him, and lifted his friend into his arms, holding him like humans held their babies. Han tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Put me down you big ball of fluff!" he complained, but he didn't struggle, not wanting to pass out and ruin his point. The wound in his leg was throbbing with a powerful dull ache, but every time the air got to it or the skin stretched, sharp pains shot through his hip that made his vision blur.

"I'll put you down when we're safe, out of here and there's a bed for you to rest on."

"Chewie, we're on Tatooine, when are we going to be safe?" Han complained.

The Wookie was already half way to the big exit at the front of the palace, Brentha following, stopping at various doorways to shout down to any slaves that they were now free, Jabba the Hutt was dead. She said it with pride in her voice. If only she had done this years ago.

As they walked out of the great door, though, slaves running past them as quickly as they could to freedom, some of them whooping with delight and hugging one another happily, Han had fallen into an unconscious, and Chewie hoped painless, sleep. The Wookie smiled down at his stubborn friend, so light in his strong arms, happy with the knowledge that he would now have the chance to tease him about it with them both safe and far away from this planet, free again at last to rescue their friends and fly amongst the stars to wherever they pleased.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Reviews would be very much appreciated, I would love to hear your thoughts.


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